# 1973 Copa Libertadores

Copa Libertadores 1973 was won by defending champions Independiente of Argentina after defeating Colo Colo of Chile in a third decisive game. The third match which ended 2–1 in extra time was necessary after the previous two leg matches ended in draws. Their second consecutive title made Independiente the first team in the tournament's history to win four titles.
The Venezuelan club teams Deportivo Italia and Deportivo Galicia did not participate in the Copa Libertadores due to internal problems with the Venezuelan Football Federation.

## Qualified teams

| Country | Team | Qualification method |
| CONMEBOL (1 berth) | Independiente | 1972 Copa Libertadores champion |
| Argentina (2 berths) | San Lorenzo | 1972 Nacional champion |
| Argentina (2 berths) | River Plate | 1972 Nacional runner-up |
| Bolivia (2 berths) | Jorge Wilstermann | 1972 Primera División champion |
| Bolivia (2 berths) | Oriente Petrolero | 1972 Primera División runner-up |
| Brazil (2 berths) | Palmeiras | 1972 Campeonato Brasileiro Série A champion |
| Brazil (2 berths) | Botafogo | 1972 Campeonato Brasileiro Série A runner-up |
| Chile (2 berths) | Colo-Colo | 1972 Primera División champion |
| Chile (2 berths) | Unión Española | 1972 Primera División runner-up |
| Colombia (2 berths) | Millonarios | 1972 Campeonato Profesional champion |
| Colombia (2 berths) | Deportivo Cali | 1972 Campeonato Profesional runner-up |
| Ecuador (2 berths) | Emelec | 1972 Campeonato Ecuatoriano champion |
| Ecuador (2 berths) | El Nacional | 1972 Campeonato Ecuatoriano runner-up |
| Paraguay (2 berths) | Cerro Porteño | 1972 Primera División champion |
| Paraguay (2 berths) | Olimpia | 1972 Primera División runner-up |
| Peru (2 berths) | Sporting Cristal | 1972 Primera División champion |
| Peru (2 berths) | Universitario | 1972 Primera División runner-up |
| Uruguay (2 berths) | Nacional | 1972 Primera División champion |
| Uruguay (2 berths) | Peñarol | 1972 Primera División runner-up |

## Draw

The champions and runners-up of each football association were drawn into the same group along with another football association's participating teams. Three clubs from Argentina competed as Independiente was champion of the 1972 Copa Libertadores. They entered the tournament in the Semifinals.
| Group 1 | Group 2 | Group 3 | Group 4 | Group 5 |
| Argentina  Bolivia | Brazil  Uruguay | Chile  Ecuador | Colombia | Paraguay  Peru |

## Group stage
### Group 1

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification | SLO | WIL | RIV | ORI |
| 1 | San Lorenzo | 6 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 15 | 1 | +14 | 10 | Semifinals | — | 3–0 | 1–0 | 4–0 |
| 2 | Jorge Wilstermann | 6 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 6 | 8 | −2 | 7 | | 1–0 | — | 1–0 | 1–0 |
| 3 | River Plate | 6 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 12 | 10 | +2 | 5 | | 0–4 | 2–2 | — | 7–1 |
| 4 | Oriente Petrolero | 6 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 5 | 19 | −14 | 2 | | 0–3 | 3–1 | 1–3 | — |

### Group 2

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification | BOT | PAL | NAC | PEÑ |
| 1 | Botafogo | 6 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 15 | 9 | +6 | 9 | Semifinals | — | 2–0 | 3–2 | 4–1 |
| 2 | Palmeiras | 6 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 10 | 6 | +4 | 9 | | 3–2 | — | 1–1 | 2–0 |
| 3 | Nacional | 6 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 8 | 9 | −1 | 4 | | 1–2 | 1–2 | — | 2–0 |
| 4 | Peñarol | 6 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 13 | −9 | 2 | | 2–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | — |

### Group 3

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification | COL | EME | NAC | UES |
| 1 | Colo-Colo | 6 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 16 | 4 | +12 | 8 | Semifinals | — | 5–1 | 5–1 | 5–0 |
| 2 | Emelec | 6 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 6 | 7 | −1 | 7 | | 1–0 | — | 2–0 | 1–0 |
| 3 | El Nacional | 6 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 10 | −5 | 5 | | 1–1 | 1–0 | — | 1–0 |
| 4 | Unión Española | 6 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 9 | −6 | 4 | | 0–0 | 1–1 | 2–1 | — |

### Group 4

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification | MIL | CAL |
| 1 | Millonarios | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 2 | +4 | 3 | Semifinals | — | 6–2 |
| 2 | Deportivo Cali | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 6 | −4 | 1 | | 0–0 | — |

### Group 5

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification | CER | OLI | SCR | UNI |
| 1 | Cerro Porteño | 6 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 14 | 5 | +9 | 9 | Semifinals | — | 4–2 | 5–0 | 1–0 |
| 2 | Olimpia | 6 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 9 | 9 | 0 | 6 | | 2–1 | — | 1–0 | 3–1 |
| 3 | Sporting Cristal | 6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 9 | −4 | 6 | | 1–1 | 1–0 | — | 2–2 |
| 4 | Universitario | 6 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 10 | −5 | 3 | | 0–2 | 2–1 | 0–1 | — |

## Semi-finals

* The five previous group leaders formed two new groups of three which included the 1972 Copa Libertadores defending champion Independiente.

### Group 1

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation | IND | SLO | MIL |
| 1 | Independiente | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 3 | +2 | 5 | Qualified to the Final | — | 1–0 | 2–0 |
| 2 | San Lorenzo | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 3 | +1 | 4 | | 2–2 | — | 2–0 |
| 3 | Millonarios | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 4 | −3 | 3 | | 1–0 | 0–0 | — |

### Group 2

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation | COL | CER | BOT |
| 1 | Colo-Colo | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 10 | 9 | +1 | 5 | Qualified to the Final | — | 4–0 | 3–3 |
| 2 | Cerro Porteño | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 8 | 9 | −1 | 4 | | 5–1 | — | 3–2 |
| 3 | Botafogo | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 8 | 8 | 0 | 3 | | 1–2 | 2–0 | — |

## Champion

* Copa Libertadores 1973 Winners
* Independiente Fourth Title